Hakkasan

Hakkasan’s dark, sleek interior is full of character and design details to arouse interest, like the wall-to-ceiling oriental wooden screens separating intimate alcoves and recesses from more open dining spaces and the venue’s two bars. The outdoor area is just as attractive, enhanced by a water fountain and yet more of those elegant screens, but we’ve found there’s greater appeal indoors, where the ill-suited high-tempo house-y beats don’t grate quite as much. The menu sounds divine, from the small selection of advance-order specials with eye-watering prices (think Peking duck with beluga caviar) and exquisite soups, to mains including black pepper Norwegian king crab. And sure enough, starters and lighter bites such as the delightful crispy duck salad, taste just as heavenly. Some larger dishes, however, fail to live up to their enticing descriptions – and price – with excessive use of oil being an unexpected and unwanted factor. Still, the delicate desserts are sure to lift the meal and ensure you depart with your smile still intact.Open Mon-Sun noon-3pm (last orders 2.45pm), 7pm-1am (last orders 12.45am); bar noon-2am (last orders 1.30am). Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, www.jumeirah.com (04 384 8484).

Tucked away in one corner, the restaurant is is partitioned into different sections, like the lounge, party area with a bar, private dining areas, the regular bar which is very long and well stoked and the wine cellar. The outside seating was closed owing to the hot weather. I was very kindly taken all around the restaurant after I had ordered for the set lunch menu. Also ordered for the scallop shumai from the regular menu.
The food was fresh and served steaming hot. The taste was good but not outstanding. The location is impressive and the ambience is good and the food going by the regular menu, well, pricey.
Set lunch AED 120
Scallop shumai AED 45
Voss AED 28. Total with tax AED 231.

Posted by: Aaron Blanchard on 06 Oct ' 12 at 10:55

Best for: Brunch served

Hakkasan is one of my favourite restaurant in Dubai, i have been there on a few occasions and always have received the best service this city can get(amazing!!!), incredible food, great atmosphere,...it is not coming cheap, but if you compare to the other big restaurants in the city it is good value, the non-smoking policy in the main restaurant is a plus, they have the most fantastic Terrace in town.
Food wise, the Dim Sums are succulent, my favourites "Starters" are Crispy Duck Salad, Wagyu Beef Ribs, Salt and Pepper Squid, Grilled Shanghai Dumplings,...name it.
For the main courses, you would die for the Chilean Seabass and Chinese Honey, most of their Duck dishes,...
Great desserts, well-matched with pudding wines or Spirits. their drink list in the Bar is amazing and their wine list the best in Dubai for sure.
i wanted to react to the above reviews as they are very harsh on this special place.
you should give it a try and get converted!

Posted by: onaiza khatri on 20 Jun ' 12 at 09:31

We were in a group of 8 ladies who went to the restaurant for lunch, the food was below average,the soup we ordered was passe, and the vegetarian soup was with a peculiar unpleasant smell to it.
The Spicy thai prawns were doused with coconut cream and very little commercial thai curry paste,with no flavor of anything in particular, all that we were tasting was creme and blob. The taste of the prawns was just not there,the fried rice we had ordered was glutinous mass of oil,dark soya sauce and no vegetables at all.The chicken was in a claypot again
with an overpowering five spice flavor. We were really disappointed with
the food.The service was okay.

Posted by: abu Yosuf on 26 Jan ' 12 at 12:12

My wife took me there for lunch, and the food was delightful.
Prices are about twice what we would pay in Vancouver for the same quality. Staff well outnumbered the diners at lunch.
It seemed very odd to me that menu prices DID NOT include tax and service, which has been the norm in Dubai for some time. When I mentioned it to a guy in a tie (floor manager or captain maybe?) he did what I don't like - he told me I was wrong and started arguing with me. That is NOT what I expect at this price point. We rarely dine at Jumeirah establishments as there always seems to be a spoiler. Oh well!

Posted by: Luca on 13 Dec ' 11 at 17:48

Best for: Romantic

I went to Hakkasan on my birthday and I have to say that as all the standing alone resrtaurant in Dubai, Hakkasan is not an exception that is amazing,
truly expensive but worth every single penny.
The dim sum platter is a must and the duck with foie gras is an ultimate experience for an Chinese restaurant.
Service is attentive and sure still need to improve with time.
Please book the terrazza because you will feel to dine somewherelse than in Dubai.

Posted by: Aditya Rajaram on 25 Nov ' 11 at 08:37

For all you Hakkasan London lovers, this is your home away from home....sort of. I have been to the Hakkasan in London (both of them) twice. I have always had an OKAY experience at both of them because they are always crowded and remind me of TAO in Las Vegas. The food, is on and off where some days it is fantastic and some days, you're lucky if the order is right. Well, Hakkasan Dubai has seemed to carry on this tradition.

I went to Hakkasan Dubai with family and friends, a table of 8. I have always held the restaurant, regardless of its shortcomings, in high regard because of...well..it being Hakkasan. I waited at the bar which I must say is very nicely lit, the bar snacks (amazing olives!) were great. I ordered a glass of Ruinart. I was served promptly and my snacks kept getting refilled, I was happy! Then came dinner...

We were served by an extremely competent host, Neville. Neville and his entourage looked after us as best as possible. I say this because the minute we got to the dinner table, the service dropped. Courtesy was still extended but things just did not go right, my refill took atleast 20 minutes after I asked 3 people, when we asked for Yamazaki 18 they said yes and then they said no, when we said no ice in the Chivas 18 they put their signature ice block in it. On to dinner and the ladies' soups were all messed up. They had asked for some soup with shrimp and they got a lobster soup, both ladies! Being in the industry, I expect exemplary food displays from Hakkasan. I was thoroughly disappointed. The 4 vegetable dish looked like someone yacked it out on a plate with no garnish. The sea bass was amazing but also looked naked and lonely and tasted worse as people started for their seconds. Lastly, the chicken tried to make amends to a very average dinner but it was too little to late.

So, I hoped for a fight back from dessert. We must have ordered about 5 desserts to share amongst 8 ppl and this I highly suggest since no one feels like a fatty and still you get to try everything! They even had my favourite dessert wine the Muscato di'Asti!! This I gave them full marks for as I did for amazing dessert. Every dish from the cakes to the sorbet was amazing.

We ended the night by retiring temporarily to the cigar lounge which had an equally well stocked bar. This made the men in the group very happy. The service stayed good as we were looked after to till the very end.

All in all I give the Hakkasan a B. For the Emirates Towers which boasts of restaurants from The Ivy to Vu's, they need to step up their game. However, if Hakkasan is quite happy being the restaurant where people come just to be seen and dont really care about service and food then for now, they are safe.

I have faith in this restaurant, it is new and its just oiling its wheels. I will give it another shot in a month or so.